RAIN or Shine kept its season alive on Friday after overwhelming depleted TNT in Game 5, 113-97, in the PBA 49th Season Philippine Cup semifinals at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Elasto Painters outscored the Tropang 5G, 37-12, in the third period to cut the gap in the best-of-seven series to 3-2, the first time they scored a pair of wins in their three semifinal duels this season.
RoS even led by as many as 35 points and will now look to tie the series on Sunday at the at the same venue.
The Tropang 5G played without head coach Chot Reyes after he accumulated his fifth technical foul in Game 4 which merits an automatic one-game suspension, as per league rules.
They were also without RR Pogoy and Kelly Williams due to injuries.
Gian Mamuyac started hot for Rain or Shine, scoring 20 of his 22 points in the first half, before the Elasto Painters put their defense on display by limiting TNT to only 4-of-19 from the field.
“We survived another day,” said coach Yeng Guiao. “May laro kami ng Sunday. This is the closest we’ve been to a finals, so we look at it as a positive development for us. At last, nakadalawang panalo kami sa semis.”
Jhonard Clarito had 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block, while Adrian Nocum, Keith Datu, and Andrei Caracut each had 11 markers for RoS.
Calvin Oftana had 23 points, as Simon Enciso had 20 points for the Tropang 5G, who failed to close out the semifinal series.
TNT fell behind for good after a 15-0 run that put Rain or Shine up, 76-56, in the third. Another 11-0 blast by the Elasto Painters enabled them to pad their lead to its biggest at 93-64 in the same quarter.
The Tropang 5G outscored RoS, 33-20, in the final frame, but by then, the deficit was too big to overcome.
Game 4 heroes Jordan Heading and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, who combined for 45 points last Wednesday, was limited to a grand total of seven.
The scores:
Rain or Shine 113 - Mamuyac 22, Clarito 19, Datu 11, Caracut 11, Nocum 11, Tiongson 8, Malonzo 8, Asistio 7, Santillan 7, lldefonso 5, Norwood 2, Porter 2, Escandor 0, Borboran 0.
TNT 97 – Oftana 23, Enciso 20, Khobuntin 13, Aurin 13, Galinato 9, Vosotros 8, Ganuelas-Rosser 4, Heading 3, Erram 2, Varilla 2, Nieto 0, Ebona 0, Heruela 0.
Quarters: 28-24; 56-52; 93-64; 113-97.
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